


Tempo

by kaientai



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alcohol, Band Semi is my favorite Semi, Current timeline, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Fluff, HAPPY HEARTS DAY, Haikyuu!! Manga Spoilers, Office Romance, Semi in the final arc had me WHEEZING, ngl this is pretty cute
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-15
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:41:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22727800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaientai/pseuds/kaientai
Summary: "We run on different tempos, but baby, you still make my heart race."In which Semi practicallybegsfor your help in writing a song, and youreluctantlyagree.
Relationships: Semi Eita/Reader
Comments: 34
Kudos: 201





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Why do you want me to help you so badly?" you asked, voice almost trembling. "Seriously, dude. I thought we hated each other. Quit acting out of character."

"Please?"

"No," was your flat reply. 

Semi heaved a long sigh, mouth twitching into an irritated grimace. You returned his reaction with a sassy look of your own—one, finely penciled brow quirked as bright, red lips rivalled the adamance that Semi brought about. While you were in no position to tell him to just go back to his cubicle and get today's work done (you, sadly, held the same position in office), you at least had the right to turn him down. Your department had a monthly financial report coming up. Why on Earth did he want your help writing a song?

"Come on," he groaned. "You know I'd eat my fist first before asking for _your_ help, but our manager really digs your old pieces from college." 

Your eye twitched.

"Way to beg for someone's aid in a time of dire need," you bit back sarcastically. "Go do it then."

"What?"

"Eat your whole fist." You gave him a pointed look, even making a show of paying attention by putting your pen down. 

Your co-worker let out a frustrated groan, fingers carding through his messy, ashen hair. The gesture made the tattoos on his chest visible for a second, before disappearing again behind his barely done button-up. It was a mystery, how a man like him made it as a public servant—with his flamboyant piercings and tip-dyed hair—but you supposed you should learn to look past physical appearances. The agency allowed it, so why should you make a fuss?

Ah, right. Semi Eita was the most hot-headed man in your department, _and_ he had a knack for picking fights with you.

"If you get the balance sheet done by five o'clock, I might reconsider," you told him, not really meaning the words, as you directed your attention back at the paperwork on your desk. Balance sheets are the toughest to fill out, since the data needed had to be collated from different sectors of the city. You highly doubted that Semi, with his thinner-than-a-strand-of-hair patience, could finish it in one sitting.

"Deal." 

Your gaze hardened as you looked back up at him. "Come again?"

"Are you deaf?" he asked, folding lean arms across his chest. "I said it's a deal." 

You couldn't help the snort that made its way past your lips. Whatever his reasons may be, it was painfully obvious that he was desperate. But still. You knew that he wouldn't be able to carry out the deed in your given deadline, but instead of talking him out of his own agreement, you merely shook your head in acceptance. 

Semi eventually stalked off to his cubicle; the one just in front of yours. There was a divider that separated each employee's workspace from the others, and it at least granted some semblance of privacy from outside gazes. You've been to Semi's cubicle a couple of times—more to coordinate paperwork than engage in conversation, really—and he decorated his personal space exactly how a part-time rock band vocalist would. Though he didn't exactly put up posters and painted the walls black, he added his own flair to his desk with guitar figurines, neon stickers on his desktop, and a photo of his bandmates enclosed in a sparkly picture frame. 

The only reason you bothered looking so closely was the fact that you also went to the same university together (under the same degree, too!) You've always been keen around him, with his loud way of living, as opposed to you, who's always chosen to live simply and without pretentiousness. Sure, the disparity between your lifestyles had caused you to be at each other's throats since freshman year, but it was still a surprise that your synergy was top notch. You would, as Semi put it so delicately, eat your fist first before admitting to the fact, but it's a given that you preferred to work with him instead of other, unfamiliar people.

You sighed, brandishing a bored look at the bleak document in front of you. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to help him out...

But when you recalled every time he's talked over you during board meetings, sneered at you when he got a higher score during exams, and his distateful behavior in general, you steeled your resolve.

Either he's going to get that balance sheet over with or he'll keel over. If he wanted your help, he's going to have to work for it. 

* * *

You were in the middle of fixing your belongings when the sound of a stack of papers hitting your desk rang in your ears. 

"There," Semi said breathlessly, making you look up at him in surprise. He even tossed a flash drive on top of the papers he deposited, where you saw the city hall's heading printed in full color. You reluctantly checked your phone for the time. 16:57, it said, in a mockingly bold typeface before shoving it in your pocket.

The damn guy really _did_ get it done before five. 

"The electronic document is saved in there, in case you lose the print." He was panting at this point, and you had a vague idea as to why he looked like he just ran a marathon. The _one_ printer in your department (this year's budget was cut) broke down a few days ago, and the nearest functional one was at the Logistics office three floors down. 

Still refusing to believe it, you peered at the documents he just brought in. You scanned each of the entries printed on each page. That's when you realized that Sendai City's expenses have skyrocketed since the new year because the list of expenses occupied a whole page alone. A worried sigh made its way past your lips, but at least the liabilities were cut down to a minimum. You heard that the governor of Miyagi was going to pledge a few hundred thousand yen for the city's founding anniversary, too. 

You paused. Blinking, you rearranged the papers neatly back into its pile—biting back the urge to clutch your wounded pride. Semi was looking at you expectantly, like he wanted you to praise his flawless bookkeeping. 

In actuality, his determination was beginning to freak you out.

"Why do you want me to help you so badly?" you asked, voice almost trembling. "Seriously, dude. I thought we hated each other. Quit acting out of character." 

"I _told_ you, our manager really liked the songs you composed back in senior year," he drawled, tired of having to repeat himself. 

Your face twisted in confusion. "Who even is this manager of yours?" 

There was a half-second delay in his response, but before you could paint a reason for his hesitation, he immediately replied with, "Saito. Saito Makoto." 

You stiffened, gaze going rigid at the mention of that name. "Oh."

"Yeah. If I manage to give him a piece by the end of the month, he'll help us sign a contract with a big-shot record label," Semi explained, oblivious to your discomfort. 

"But haven't you been writing songs since high school?" you wondered aloud. "That's what you said during our Pol-Gov class ice breaker." 

He frowned. "You still remember that?" 

Okay. You kept forgetting that your sharp memory wasn't always a praiseworthy thing. You gulped, feeling the heat creep up your face. "Um, anyway, the point still stands. You've been writing songs for God-knows-how-long, and while I'm not one to dish out compliments especially to _you_ , I'm pretty sure they're okay if you managed to gather a decent fanbase." 

He rolled his eyes, leaning against the divider of your cubicle. "We're a rock band. I write rock songs, but Saito wants me to write a goddamn love song." 

Typical Saito. Though he looked like a rugged high school delinquent, he was awfully sentimental when it came to music. He was the one who inspired you to write the songs Semi was pestering you about all day after all...

"Fine," you relented. "I never go back on my word and since you did a...good job with this, I'll help you out." 

His light brown eyes lit up for a moment, but Semi managed to mask his relief in a split second—containing his excitement in a single nod. "Are you free this Saturday? You can come by my place and we could start getting to work." 

Well, that was forward of him. You expected to work on the song in a coffee shop or something, but he went on ahead and invited you to his own humble abode anyway. You parsed through your weekend plans in your mind, and once you confirmed that you were free, you scribbled down your phone number on a sticky note. Almost five years of acquaintance and you'd never bothered giving it to him. Huh.

"Just text me the time and place," you told him, pocketing the flash drive as you slipped the balance sheet in one of the empty folders in your organizer. "You better not pull anything funny and lead me to a secluded alley or something."

Semi scoffed, folding the piece of paper and sticking it inside his trousers. "As if." 

You then slung your bag across your shoulders, grinning insincerely. "Glad we're on the same page, then."

"Yeah, whatever." 

With that, Semi exited your cubicle, leaving you no room to wonder why he didn't even spare a quick 'thank you'. 

Just as you were smoothing out the creases on your pencil skirt, your phone began buzzing in the pocket of your blazer. Brows raised, you fished it out and unlocked it. 

> **From: Mako**
> 
> hey, wanna grab some dinner? its on me :3

Speak of the devil. You swallowed the lump in your throat, fingers shakily managing to type a coherent reply. 

> **To: Mako**
> 
> Yeah sure. Where to tho

> **From: Mako**
> 
> can we get some italian? ik u love the udon place across the street but akane's having dinner w her friends there 

> **From: Mako**
> 
> cant have her seeing us together now do we

The way he put that so casually made your chest constrict with a too-familiar sensation. You heaved a deep breath, pursing your lips into a thin line as you sent a quick "Ok" text to end your conversation. Saito replied with those iffy heart-eyed emojis that he only ever used when he wanted something from you, and you had to compose yourself so you wouldn't burst into tears right there. 

"Oi."

You almost jumped at the sound of Semi's voice as he peered inside your cubicle once more. He clutched his suitcase in one hand, eyeing you curiously.

"What do you want?" 

"You're headed uptown, too, right?" he asked, and you nodded reluctantly. "Thought you'd want a lift."

"Semi, just because I'm helping you achieve your dreams, doesn't mean you have to be nice to me." You laughed softly, tension easing from his uncalled for kindness. 

He, however, looked unconvinced. "Do you want a ride or not?" 

You raised your hands in defeat, managing a genuine smile. "Alright, fine. It'll be a hellish commute anyway."

You liked to think that that's how you started becoming friends with your odd, hot-headed co-worker. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Semi. That is all. Also, if you guys want to see how Saito looks like even before he's officially debuted, I made a picrew for him [here](https://i.imgur.com/WTkQUe7.png). I SWEAR this is short and will finish it within the week don't KILL ME.
> 
> Also, I'm sorry I love the premise of cheating too much (tho I do not, in any way, condone that in real life). It's just so fun to write about the tension surrounding it and *eats fist*


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "God, I'm still not used to you being this nice to me." 
> 
> His face contorted with disgust. "Shut up. I still don't like you."
> 
> "That's the spirit!" 

"(Name)-chan, you made it!"

You shuffled awkwardly in the outfit you hastily put together. A knit sweater and a denim skirt weren't too shabby, but you couldn't help but loathe yourself for even making an effort to look cute in his gaze. Saito grinned at you from the table he claimed at the far end, looking as chipper as usual. 

His bangs were bound with a pink rubber band, making his forehead come into clear view. From the looks of it, he also got another piercing—what's it called again? A helix?— _and_ he was wearing one of those weird ahegao hoodies. 

You could not _believe_ you were a side chick to this guy.

"What the hell are you wearing?" You wrinkled your nose at his choice in clothing.

Saito chuckled, gesturing for you to take a seat. "Lost a bet with one of my colleagues. But even if he isn't around, I'm an honest-to-goodness guy."

_Tell that to your girlfriend, jerk._

Once you were settled, you browsed through the menu sitting in front of you on the table. Right across from you, Saito launched himself into unprovoked conversation, aimlessly prattling about the specifics of the wager he'd lost. His voice, the one you'd become head-over-heels in love with in college, morphed into background noise in your head as you recalled the short trip from the city hall to your two-floor apartment in uptown Sendai. 

All it took was ten minutes in his secondhand Corolla for you to get to know Semi better than you've had in the last five years. He lived in one of the wealthier neighbourhoods in your area with one of his friends from high school. He had a cat named Snowbell that has a strange affinity for dog food. And he hated getting oatmeal raisin cookies mixed in with his chocolate chip ones, but his housemate lumped them all together in a single container.

"So, what are you ordering, (Name)-chan?" 

You blinked, snapping out of your train of thought. "Oh, um. Just the spinach lasagna for me."

Saito raised an eyebrow. "Eh? No pizza tonight?" 

"Yeah." You spared him a soft laugh, scratching the back of your head. "I've been cutting my carb intake lately." 

He nodded in understanding before calling for the nearest waiter. Once he managed to jot down your orders, he immediately made haste back to the kitchen, having promised for your meal to be ready in ten to fifteen minutes.

Before Saito could continue the story you barely lent an ear to, however, you beat him to filling the silence first.

"Hey, you remember Semi from college, right?" 

He craned his head slightly. "Yeah. His band is one of those I manage, actually. You've seen him around lately?"

So he _didn't_ know you and Semi were co-workers. 

You shook your head. "No. Just asking." 

He was quiet for a moment, almond eyes studying you with rapt attention. For a minute, you were worried that he might've seen through your blatant lie, but when Saito resumed his unbothered story-telling, you found yourself relaxing into your metal seat. 

"Akane just got us a house plant to take care of. Something about knowing if we could already take care of a live pet. I dunno. I wouldn't be home enough to water it and stuff anyway."

Alright. You had no idea how his story about losing a bet transitioned into him sharing his irritatingly domestic life with Kurosawa Akane, but you were having _none_ of it this evening.

"Hey, remember the song you helped me write back in senior year?" you interrupted, hands darting to hold his across the table. Saito's eyes widened at the sudden gesture, but he returned it with equal fervor, thumbs brushing across your fingers so tenderly, your heart swelled. 

He hummed, eyes riveted on your hands clasped together. "Yeah. I still have the tune memorized in my head. You have a pretty unforgettable voice, you know." 

Saito let out a soft chuckle, a sound that was barely a rumble in his chest. You hated it. You hated how he still made you feel, how he knew just the right words to say to get you wrapped around his finger. 

But what you hated the most is the fact that you always, always just let him do as he pleased.

"Mako, why couldn't it be me?" you murmured. 

His lips twitched into a gentle smile as he withdrew his touch, leaving your hands cold without his warmth. "You already know the answer to that."

You didn't. You really _didn't_. 

When your orders arrived on the promised timeframe, Saito lost himself in his own stories once again, having easily forgotten the tension of your earlier conversation. But the food was too savory on your tongue, and you still felt like he pushed a lance through your chest. How could he keep up appearances with so little effort? How was he still pulling himself together?

These were the questions you asked everyday, yet could never find any answers to.

* * *

You seemed to have paced in front of the address Semi texted you for the nth time when you finally mustered enough courage to ring the doorbell. 

In hindsight, you could've just sent him a text, like most people did these days instead of ringing the doorbell. But you refused to be lumped into that same category of people who relied on their phones for everything. At the same time, though, you were hesitant to announce your presence so abruptly. What if his housemate was still sleeping? It's 8 A.M on a Saturday. Normally, you'd still be fast asleep in your own loft.

It took a few minutes of ear-splitting silence, save for the occasional resident going out for a morning run, before the gate squeaked open. 

There he was, Semi Eita wearing nothing but boxers and a loose muscle tee.

Given that in all the instances you've crossed paths with him were either in campus or in office, you've never actually seen his tattoos. But now, you've finally borne witness to the tribal patterns inked across his left pectoral, which spanned the expanse of skin where his shoulder and collarbones met. 

For someone built so lithe and slender, though, you didn't expect him to be packing some muscle right there, either.

"Oh, hey," he greeted, face flushing when he noticed you staring as he nudged the gate wider. "Come in."

You muttered a quick thanks before ducking your head as you went inside. 

When Semi told you about the place he and his friend supposedly saved up enough to own, you thought he'd been bluffing about the extravagant architecture. Everyone lied a little about their achievements, right? But seeing everything with your own eyes only served as proof that he really didn't tell you all that to boast.

A garden much like those you've seen in IKEA magazines greeted you, and it was complete with an outdoor fountain, shrubs and topiaries shaped into vague objects, and a…swing set?

"I'll explain that a little later," Semi promised, having noticed you gawking at his property. "Have you eaten?"

"God, I'm still not used to you being this nice to me." 

His face contorted with disgust. "Shut up. I still don't like you."

"That's the spirit!" 

As the two of you traversed the cobblestone steps of the Western-looking garden, Semi decidedly offered to cook you some breakfast. Since you didn't have the foresight to at least butter up some toast before you left your apartment, you only shrugged in agreement. For someone living in such a nice place, his cooking skills should be bearable at the least. 

"Uncle Eita!" 

The sound of a child's voice bellowing from behind you startled you for a moment. Semi sighed, turning around to greet the dark-skinned girl that ran straight into Semi's legs, enclosing them around her short arms.

"Pancakes! I want pancakes!" she chirped, rubbing her cheek across your co-worker's hairy leg. 

You couldn't help but become taken aback by her fluent Japanese. Well, she spoke like, five words, but her diction alone was enough of a telling clue.

"I told you to wait in the kitchen, didn't I, Rina-chan?" Semi crouched so that he was eye-level with the girl—Rina. "I was just going to get our visitor."

Her bottom lip swelled into a pout. "But you wouldn't tell me who it was! I wanted to see…" 

You half-expected him to explode in a fit of frustration, like he usually did whenever one of the interns in the office fucked up the errands he'd made them do. Semi constantly lived up to his reputation of being that too-angry-for-life employee, so could anyone blame you if you're shocked to find him smiling at this girl as he patted her head affectionately? 

"Good morning," Rina greeted you sweetly, grinning up at you with barely there teeth. "Who are you?"

"Rina-chan, that's not how you greet visitors," Semi sighed, rising back to his full height. 

Rina ignored her uncle, opting to peer at you curiously instead. "Uncle Eita never had anyone over before. He's always the one leaving."

"Hey, Rina-chan, do you want to make a deal?" He tapped her shoulder, and this obviously caught the young girl's interest. "If you go back to the kitchen right now, I'll make those pancakes extra fluffy."

The mention of the upgrade in her breakfast had her starry-eyed. "With extra maple syrup? And chocolate chips?" 

"Reon was never this demanding," Semi chuckled. "You must've gotten it from your mother."

Rina blew a raspberry at him before running back inside the house, which you now only noticed. It was probably only two floors high, but you could feel your jaw drop at the ivory finish of the building before you. It was practically a mansion, if you were being honest.

"Sorry about that," Semi said sheepishly. "That's my friend's kid. He and his wife are on a business trip right now, so I'm taking care of Rina while they're not around."

Semi Eita. Taking care of _children_? You tried your best to contain your laughter, but from the way his brow creased with irritation, you figured you weren't doing a very good job. 

"Come on. That song isn't going to write itself," he said, kicking off his slippers to set by the mat.

As you unlaced your sneakers, you couldn't help the comeback that popped inside your head. "Yeah. Those pancakes won't make themselves, either, nanny." 

Semi narrowed his eyes. "Don't push it." 

Unfortunately for him, there were a lot of buttons for you to set off his temper, and you couldn't wait to push each one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Double updates cos we working triple time, boys! Third chap prolly gonna come in a few hours, too.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One of his brows quirked at your response. "For someone dubbed as the boring old hag at the office, you have some pretty useful insights." 
> 
> "Fuck off."

"So, what do you have so far?"

Semi shot you a curious glance as he hung his Rilakkuma apron on a hook by the cupboards. He then pulled out the stool adjacent from yours as you picked at the souffle he whipped up at such short notice. The pancake was, as he'd promised Rina, extra fluffy and when you said Semi's cooking would be bearable at most, you didn't expect to be proven wrong right off the bat. 

"I...actually have nothing yet," he replied, cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "I _told_ you, love songs really aren't my thing—"

"Holy shit," you mumbled in the middle of your first bite. "Semi, what the fuck? This is so good."

His expression morphed into something more disgruntled as he clicked his tongue. "Is it so amazing that I can actually cook to save a life?"

"Yes? Most salarymen I know live off Chinese take-out or those nasty instant shit. Even my _mom_ can't make souffle." 

"You women go on and on about equality but still impose those stupid stereotypes on the daily," Semi pointed out. 

You shrugged, almost halfway through your pancake. "Not _all_ women." 

He rolled his eyes at you as he grabbed his phone from where he set it a few feet away on the counter. After quietly tapping for a minute or-so, he trained his brown-eyed gaze back on you.

"I have ideas for a beat though," he said. "I recorded a few seconds to send to Saito for later. You wanna hear them?" 

You nodded minutely at Semi's inquiry, and that's all the confirmation he needed before hitting play on the recorder app on his phone. The voice memo started off with static noise and a little rustling in the background. A muted _fuck_ could be heard when you listened closely. 

"Untitled track take five," Semi's recorded voice sounded gravelly, like he'd been saying the same thing over and over. Well, given that it's his fifth take, that could definitely be the case here. 

You heard the sound of a chair creaking as Semi possibly leaned into his seat. He tested out a few chords on what sounded like an acoustic guitar first before taking a breath deep enough for you to notice. For someone who claimed that love songs weren't his thing, he seemed to be working on this project with a diligence to be revered.

Semi had started off strumming slowly, interchanging between notes in a way that didn't sound discordant in your ears. You've heard a song or two from his band back in one of the variety shows you attended in your college years, and the tune you were hearing was definitely the polar opposite of the usual genre he performed. There was a melancholic ring to each chord, and you couldn't help but wonder what he had been thinking of when he composed it.

"Oh, thank God." The relief in recorded Semi's voice when he hit the last note made your lips twitch into a lopsided smile. Real life Semi, on the other hand, looked mortified at his own reaction.

"Yeah, I'll make a few cuts before sending it over," he explained, gaze shying away from yours. "Um, what do you think?"

"Sounded pretty angsty to me," you told him, gobbling up the last bite of your beloved souffle. "It's great though. Composing a tune sets the mood for the song. Doesn't that make it easier to write the lyrics?" 

One of his brows quirked at your response. "For someone dubbed as the boring old hag at the office, you have some pretty useful insights." 

"Fuck off."

A childish giggle interrupted your conversation, and from where you're seated, you could see Rina hiding behind the doorway. 

"(Name)-san said a bad word," she said, unable to suppress the smile on her face. 

Semi turned around to give her a pointed look. "What's so funny about that, Rina-chan? And what did Reon tell you about snooping around?" 

The young girl simpered, crossing her arms as she sulkily looked away. "Papa's not here to tell me what to do, Uncle Eita."

"Yes, but Uncle Eita is here to do that for him," he sighed, obviously clinging to the last dregs of his patience.

You've gotten the vaguest hint that Rina was definitely one of those problem child types when she kept pestering Semi as the latter made those glorious souffle pancakes. But that suspicion only solidified once you got to see your co-worker physically restraining himself from yelling at the kid. 

Honestly, he was doing quite a commendable job.

"Rina-chan, come here for a sec," you said, hoping she'd be responsive. Rina eyed you curiously after you called for her, but nonetheless, she approached you with careful steps; like a cub assessing a foreign object in front of it.

"Do you have any friends?" you asked her once she was close enough, to which the young girl responded with an adamant shake of her head. 

"Papa, Mama and Uncle Eita are the only friends I need," she spoke insistently. "Everyone else at school doesn't like me..." 

Your brows knit together with concern as you placed a hand on her shoulder. When she didn't recoil from your touch, you proceeded with tracing idle shapes on her shirt sleeve with your thumb. "Why is that?"

Rina averted her eyes from you, fingers toying with the pigtails that dangled on either side of her face. She then mumbled something you couldn't quite hear.

"What did you say, Rina-chan?" 

"Anpan," she repeated, voice still barely above a whisper. "They said my skin looked like an anpan's..."

You blinked in nonplus for a moment before catching on with her drift. While you were no longer a victim of bullying, yourself, you didn't know that it was still prevalent among children. Did parents really still tolerate that kind of behavior?

Pressing your lips into a thin line, you mimicked the gesture Semi did to her earlier, one hand smoothing out the loose, curly baby hair that escaped her pigtails. Rina was still pouting, but you could feel her relax with the gesture.

"Your skin is beautiful, Rina-chan," you told her, meaning every single word. "And so what if they say it looks like an anpan's? Anpans are tasty!" 

That seemed to rouse her from her sullenness because the way her dark eyes lit up was hard to miss. "Does that mean I'm tasty, too?"

From where he's seated, Semi barely stifled the snort that made its way from his lips, and you shot him a glare to keep his mouth shut. Oh, children and their innocent ways of thinking.

"Definitely," you decided to play along. 

"(Name)-san, can you be my friend?" 

The sudden question caught you off guard, and you felt your mouth hang loosely for a second before you managed to compose yourself. Your lips curved into a warm smile as Rina grinned back up at you.

"Of course."

* * *

"You know, Rina doesn't warm up to just anyone."

Semi's proclamation had you looking up from the notebook he'd lent you. "What's that supposed to mean?" 

Earlier, the two of you had decided to move to the second floor living room to start brainstorming for lyrics, while Rina busied herself with her Switch downstairs. Semi claimed the recliner for himself, while he let you have the entire sofa. From where he's seated, he stared at you with thinly veiled interest.

"Nothing special," he insisted. "It's just surprising to see her not pulling pranks on you. Taichi—uh, one of my old teammates always got the brunt of the damage whenever we had our mini reunions." 

You cocked your head to the side. "Teammates?" 

"Oh, right. I didn't tell you." Semi then got back onto his feet, padding barefoot towards one of the nearby shelves that housed volume after volume of an unfamiliar novel franchise. On the topmost shelf sat a picture frame that you couldn't see clearly from your position.

He walked back to the sofa, the cushions dipping under his weight as he showed you the photo behind the glass. It was of a bunch of boys in white and maroon uniforms, lined up together on what seemed like a court. In the far left, the familiar face of Semi Eita (with a few years taken off) greeted your vision. He was grinning from ear-to-ear in between a lanky, red-headed boy and a beefy looking guy that didn't even look like a high schooler. 

'Shiratorizawa Academy Boys Volleyball Club (S.Y. 2012-2013)' was written with a black marker on the lower right corner, and you couldn't contain the awed noise you made. 

"That's Rina's dad, Reon," Semi pointed at the guy with a buzzcut at the far right. "He went pro with volleyball, and his wife, Anna is a sports medicine physician." 

You hummed, eyes roving over the portrait. But your gaze never strayed too far from high school Semi. He looked a little skinnier, less angry with the world. But who were you to say, really?

"You topped the licensure exams. You're the lead vocalist of a band. _And_ you play volleyball?" you ticked off each of his strong points with irritation. "What _can't_ you do?" 

Semi laughed—actually _laughed_. "What can I say? I've been given a lot of talents." 

You couldn't help but agree in silence. He may be the epitome of barely held together temper management, but Semi Eita sure knew how to use his skills accordingly. 

Once Semi became too engrossed in his own writing, you found yourself staring vacantly at his seated form after retreating back to the recliner. The silver studs in his ears glinted from where the sunlight shone across his figure. His legs were pulled up to his chest as he furiously scribbled down all his ideas, concentration looking almost unbreakable.

You've spent years trying to best him in any way you can, and it was a rare occurrence for you to actually stop and acknowledge him as someone with exceptional talent and skill. The fact that he's so passionate about getting his band signed under a major record label was nothing short of endearing, too. Who knew you'd feel so...proud of the person you always claimed to loathe?

 _No_ , you told yourself. This was just like one of the projects you worked on at the office. Once it's over with, you could go back to your usual routine of waging constant war with each other again.

You were going to make sure of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay "in a few hours" was a lie, 'cause I slept all day yesterday oof.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You were gushing with relief from having the task done for you when you couldn't do it yourself. It was only Monday, but the workload accounted for a week's worth of stress. You were ready to give him your sincerest thanks, but when you looked back up at Semi, a smile played across his lips. 
> 
> A dangerous one. 

"What do you _mean_ you can't procure a check for the bank transfer?" You didn't even bother masking the vexation in your voice, the grip you have on your phone almost deathly tight. "We need physical proof of every transaction or Yamamoto-san will have our heads." 

"But (Surname)-san, there's no one of authority to sign it," the new intern Fukuzawa Shin, sputtered on the other line. "The branch manager won't come back until Friday, and signatures from proxies don't count, right?"

You pinched the bridge of your nose as you breathed out a long, exasperated sigh. "Fine, fine. The deadline for the payment won't come until next week anyways. Just—get back here as soon as you can, Fukuzawa."

"Y-Yes, ma'am."

Once you ended the call, you were met with yet another annoyance.

"Someone's stressed," Semi observed, mouth quirking into a smirk as he peered into your cubicle. He's wearing a gold lip ring today and, God, you should really review the employees' dress code so you wouldn't get whiplash every time he brought out his spontaneous accessories.

"What do you want this time, Semi?" you sighed, tying your hair into a loose ponytail. "I have another report due to the mayor in a few hours and I'd _really_ appreciate it if you didn't bother me." 

"Did you mean _this_ report?" he asked you, producing a manila folder from behind his back. Semi flipped it open to show you its contents and—

"What the—" You got up from your seat, heels bumping against the carpeted floor as you gave the document a closer look. Carefully, you scanned each paragraph down to every punctuation mark. Lo and behold, it was the very same report on next month's city-wide budget, and signed at the bottom were yours and Semi's names. 

"Looks like you forgot that we're working on this one together, too." He chuckled, tucking the folder underneath his arm. 

You were gushing with relief from having the task done for you when you couldn't do it yourself. It was only Monday, but the workload accounted for a week's worth of stress. You were ready to give him your sincerest thanks, but when you looked back up at Semi, a smile played across his lips. 

A dangerous one. 

"I'll give this to Yamamoto-san on one condition," he told you, eyes crinkling with mischief. "You're going to treat me to lunch for a whole month." 

"You fucking wish," was your automatic reply. "I can get that done without any of your stupid conditions." 

"Oh, really?"

" _Yes_ , really!"

Your not-so-subtle banter was intruded on by someone clearing their throat by the entrance to your work space. There, another one of your fellow finance heads, Suwa Hiroto, stepped forward, face contorted with concern. He was one of the older employees who always meant well to his juniors. And whenever he gave any of you that look, it was already a clue that something was up.

"(Surname), Yamamoto-san wanted to let you know that he wants that budget report on his desk in an hour, prompto," Suwa informed with some semblance of pity lacing his blue-eyed gaze. "He seems like he's in a pret-ty bad mood today, too." 

You weren't even looking his way but you just _knew_ Semi's stupid smirk scaled even wider.

Heaving a bated breath, you spared the older man a curt nod. "Thanks. I'll have it there by the end of the hour." 

Once Suwa made his exit, Semi, unfortunately remained and enroached you like a vulture stalking its prey. 

"What's it going to be?" he taunted, flaunting the manila folder in his hands like it was some prize to be won. 

You could feel your frustration reaching a fever pitch at this point. Everything that could go wrong has already, _absolutely_ gone wrong today and it was only lunch time. You didn't really need the added pressure of finishing a budget plan that was already gotten over with by your least favorite person. 

Ah, but desperate times did call for desperate measures.

"Alright, fine!" you gave in, snatching the folder from his hands. "When do you want your first meal, Your Majesty?"

"Today," Semi replied flatly. "Since you're so stressed out, let's start simple. Yakisoba bread will suffice." 

You narrowed your eyes into slits, wondering why he's saying that like he's being merciful. Without another word, you stormed out of your cubicle to submit the damned report to your supervisor, leaving Semi alone to wallow in his self-satisfaction from getting the last laugh. 

You listed your vengeance off with a due date, and you were going to exact it when the time was right.

* * *

"Now that wasn't so bad, now was it?" 

You glared at him. "One day, you're just going to come home and find your house burned to the damn ground." 

Semi simpered at your threat, though it wasn't entirely empty, as he took the first bite of his beloved yakisoba bread. "Telling me about your plans wasn't very bright, (Surname). If that _does_ happen, I'll know you're the only one who has a motive for such arson."

"Whatever," you scoffed, unwrapping your own yakisoba bread before biting off a chunk. The noodles were a little soggy, and the only thing keeping you from complaining was the fact that Semi was eating this shitty convenience store food, too. 

You and Semi were seated right across from each other in the indoor dining area. Fortunately, there weren't as many people crowding the store, since your breaks at the city hall were often later than the usual lunch rush. You've never really had any qualms about it because that only meant shorter queues in restaurants and more time to enjoy your food.

Today, you were definitely _not_ enjoying your food. 

Though no bonafide song-writing was actually done last Saturday, you managed to figure out what he wanted the song to be about—carrying on after a tough break-up. After, the two of you had taken turns pushing Rina on the swing set in their garden before deciding to order some take-out for lunch. How utterly domestic, right?

Semi was an entirely different person out of the workplace, and you secretly hoped he'd show more of that personality on the daily. Were you a fool to think that he'd actually given up on his manipulative personality out of your new-found bond? 

The answer was yes. You definitely _were_.

"Say, I'm not really one to snoop around other people's lives but," Semi paused for a moment, searching your face. "What do you do other than work your ass off at work?"

His question flew over your head for a moment. Why was he suddenly interested in your personal life? Suspicious, you squinted at him. 

"Why are you asking?" you wondered cautiously. 

Semi lifted his shoulders in to a nonchalant shrug, crumpling the plastic that came with his food's packaging. "I just wanted to know what boring old hags did in their free time. Is that so bad?" 

You could feel your blood pressure rising at his very presence in front of you. Was this really worth it? A thorough scolding from your supervisor because of a delayed report, you could take. But having to suffer a whole month, treating this asshole to lunch as he shamelessly berated you? 

Before you could come to a sound conclusion, though, a flash of bright pink at the corner of your eye robbed your attention from him. 

"Makoto, you said we'd drop by the flower shop today," the high-pitched voice of a certain Kurosawa Akane grated at your ears like a broken record as she tugged on her boyfriend's sleeves with a pout. "Hana-chan needs some fertilizer." 

Saito smiled at her, patting her head gently. "Akane, our little houseplant—"

" _Hana-chan_." 

He sighed, putting back the energy drink he'd been checking out in the display cooler. " _Hana-chan_ won't die if she doesn't get fertilizer. Water and sunlight are all they need to survive, you know?" 

"Hmph. Whatever... Hey, isn't that Eita-kun?" 

The moment Akane mentioned your co-worker's name, you got back up on your feet, much to Semi's bewilderment. You then retreated to one of the nearby shelves, leaving your food on the table without care.

"(Surname)—" 

"Yo, Semi!" Saito greeted him with a lively tone, putting out a hand for a high five that Semi reluctantly returned. "What're you doing here, man? Nice get-up, too." 

"I'm on break," he replied, quietly observing you from the corner of his eye. You're at the toiletries aisle, pretending to busy yourself with whatever brands of shampoo there were in front of you. He could tell you're faking it because he managed to catch the mortified look on your face at the sight of Saito and his girlfriend. 

He may be an asshole, but he at least, knew how to read in between the lines. 

"Oh, by the way, I just listened to the raw instrumental you sent me this morning," he told him, patting Semi gingerly on the back. "That track is fire, dude. Even Akane liked it."

Semi chuckled softly. "Why you're describing a break-up song as fire is beyond me, Saito. But I'm glad you liked it." 

Akane twirled her pink locks around her fingers, humming in agreement. "It sounds pretty good on acoustic, but Makoto said it might sound even better if you added some drums and a bass, though." 

"Alright. I'll try to remember all that," he promised. 

"You got some lyrics on you already?" Saito wondered, and Akane stared at him with the same, expectant look. 

His eyes flickered back to you once more. You were loitering around the snacks section now, obviously sneaking glances at them. But Saito and Akane seemed like they're yet to be alerted of your stalker-ish behavior. Semi heaved a sigh, deciding to interrogate you about it later.

"Yeah, I've got someone helping me out actually," he told them. "We're working on it." 

His manager nodded in understanding, but was immediately distracted by the sound of Akane gasping in awe. 

"Eita-kun, are you going to eat that?" she asked, pointing at the abandoned yakisoba bread sitting idly on the table. 

"Uh," he hesitated, trying to catch your gaze from where you were now comparing notebook sizes, but his effort was rendered futile because now you refused to bat even an eyelash in his direction. "Yeah. I will." 

Akane visibly deflated at his response, and Saito only hollered at his girlfriend's reaction, slinging an arm around her shoulders. "We have food at home, anyway, Akane. C'mon, you wanted to drop by the flower shop, yeah?" 

Just like that, the raspberry-haired girl bounced back from her dismay, green eyes alight with glee. "Let's go!" 

Saito managed to spare him a swift nod before letting his girlfriend whisk him right out of the store, leaving Semi thinking how that was one of the weirdest conversations he's had with his manager ever since meeting him.

Then, you dragged yourself back to the seat you've previously occupied, looking deathly pale.

"Don't ask," you grumbled before wolfing down the rest of the yakisoba bread he, thankfully, didn't give to Akane. 

He could use his leverage to make you spill about what exactly was between you and Saito. You reacted rather strangely when he told you that he was their band's manager, and today was all the proof he needed to know that there was definitely something going on. 

But he didn't. 

"Suit yourself, then," Semi said in his usual, passive-aggressive monotone, just to make you think that he hadn't caught on at the slightest.

He hoped you'd open the matter up to him someday, though. Sort of. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Akane's picrew is right [here](https://cdn.picrew.me/app/share/202002/41329_u7S2huga.png), and God I live for making oc's now LMAO.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He laughed with the cheeriness of a sociopath. "Keep it up and you might just end up as Employee of the Month."
> 
> "Keep it up, and I might just break your fucking nose," you hissed.

"They're going to _what_ , now?" 

Your supervisor, a burly man named Yamamoto Takashi, breathed out a tired sigh as he rearranged the unruly stack of documents on his desk.

"Semi, he's in a band right?" he asked. "You see, Mayor Kishimoto's daughter is turning eighteen this year, and she wants Semi Eita's band at the founding anniversary. And I bet their talent fee won't be as exponential as other artists'." 

You stared at him for a moment, trying to process what he just said. Did the mayor really want Semi's band, out of every entertainer residing in Sendai, to perform at the founding anniversary? Just because his kid wants it? Well, they're not _bad_ , but...wow. 

"Sir, why are you telling me about this?" you mumbled, shifting uncomfortably on the seat adjacent from Yamamoto's. You had initially assumed he summoned you to his office for some corrections about the budget plan you submitted the earlier this week, but boy were you wrong.

"You two are partners, right? Just thought I'd let you know so I can figure out if he'll decline." He affixed you with a stern look, mouth pressed into a firm line. "Well, will he?" 

You couldn't really formulate an answer to that in your head, really, because you were still reeling over the fact that your boss just referred to you and Semi as _partners_. There were a dozen other words he could've used. Colleagues. Co-workers. ~~Arch-enemies~~. But somehow, partners sounded like the best and worst way to describe your relationship with the guy, if that even made sense. 

"I can't say," you admitted. "I'm not really acquainted with his bandmates, and he never talks about them at work." 

Yamamoto nodded gingerly, plucking his thick-rimmed glasses off the bridge of his nose. "I see. Will you do the honors and pass the word on to him? And do phrase it in a way that'll make it seem that the mayor will be deeply offended if he rejects the offer." 

Oh, so it _was_ compulsory. 

Your face twitched with a semblance of a sneer that you hoped he wasn't keen enough to notice. Though you didn't exactly give two shits about what Semi wanted to do with his life, it might really suck to have that subtle threat hovering over your head. Such was the way of the city hall's inner workforce.

"I'll, um, let him know, sir." 

Yamamoto sent a dismissive nod your way. "I'm counting on you, (Surname)."

When you retreated back to the confines of your cubicle, Semi was already there, having claimed your swiveling seat like he owned the place. One leg was crossed on top of the other, making the cuffs of his trousers rise just enough to reveal his ankles. You wrinkled your nose at the Animal Crossing socks he chose for the day, but decided not to comment on it.

At this point, you were genuinely curious about his constant pestering. Before you'd agreed to help him with his song, the two of you just opted to leave each other alone. When did he start thinking that bothering you was worth his time?

"What'd Yamamoto-san tell you off for?" he wondered, gaze darting from the screen of his phone to you. "Is he finally letting you off?"

"You wish," you scoffed, flopping your arms over your chest.

Semi, at least, had the decency to stand up and offered your seat back (as he should!) With narrowed eyes, you plopped yourself onto the chair and let out a deep breath that had him quirking one eyebrow at you. 

"Is your band booked for the thirtieth?" you asked him, voice quiet enough to miss. 

"No, why?" His lips swelled into a tiny pout that looked really uncharacteristic of your cranky, rock-band-vocalist _partner._ "We don't usually get gigs this time of year."

"Do you want to play for the founding anniversary?" 

The look on his face blanked for a moment, like there was a lag in his thought process. But when the words finally sunk in with him, his light brown eyes grew into the size of saucers, wide grin enough to split his face in half. 

"Are you fucking kidding me, (Surname)?" he _squealed_. "Of _course_ we're going to play. Why'd you even ask? You could've just told Yamamoto-san right off the bat."

"Well, I'm _sorry_ for taking your opinions into consideration," you spoke sharply. "Besides, you don't seem like someone who'd just let others make decisions for them." 

"Yeah, could you shut up for a moment?" Semi put up one finger in your direction as he placed his phone next to his ear. 

He was quiet for the next few moments, which you spent blatantly glaring at him. How could he be such an ingrate? With those stupid Animal Crossing socks, and that stupid neon green button-up, and his _stupidly_ tight trousers—Semi Eita didn't deserve rights; not a single one. 

"Kino, I've got some good news, dude," he spoke at a volume that wasn't really acceptable in your work space. "A little bird told me we're going to get the chance to play at the founding anniversary... Fuck you, I didn't pull any strings. We were recognized because of our talent."

_Yeah, or maybe Mayor Kishimoto's daughter had a weird obsession for you._

"The song?" he echoed. "Uh-huh. (Surname) and I are going to work on the lyrics for real once work ends."

Your ears perked up at that. "Wait, _what_?" 

Semi, however, ignored the incredulous look you shot him, turning away from your view instead. "Mhmm. I think it'd do us good if we did some sound checking today, too. Is it okay to bring her along at yours and Kiyoshi's place?" 

"Do I really get no say in this?" you said, dragging a palm over your face. 

The fucker had the audacity to subtly nod his head at your inquiry, lips stretching into a smirk. "Yeah. Thanks, man. See you at six." 

When Semi ended the begrudging call, that irritating grin of his never faltered. Oh, you wanted nothing more than to slap the sass out of this guy, even if it meant it was the last thing you'd do.

"Don't you dare ditch me," he said with a threat underscoring his words.

"And what leverage, exactly, do you have that will make me stay?" you challenged, mouth twitching into a smirk of your own. 

He breathed out a too easygoing laugh that made a pang of foreboding pulse in your chest. For some reason, you just... _knew_ at that moment that you really shouldn't have picked a fight with him right now. 

"Saito," replied Semi, looking triumphant at the way your mouth hung at the mere mention of that name. "You've got something going on with Saito, and if you ditch me, I'll ask him what it is, myself." 

Your heart rate picked up in an instant, dread quickly coursing through your veins. The fear stunned you in place, like drying concrete that you couldn't break free of. This was no longer one of the harmless yet intense banters you often shared with him in the past. No, this was already pure _blackmail_. 

Not wanting to fuel his suspicions even more, you swallowed the lump of anxiety in your throat, steeling your expression. "Alright. I'll go."

You didn't care about what the implications of your smooth agreement could mean to him. As long as you didn't even utter a word about Saito, there was no way he'd know, right? _Right_?

"You're awfully easy to convince, (Surname)!" He laughed with the cheeriness of a sociopath. "Keep it up and you might just end up as Employee of the Month."

"Keep it up, and I might just break your fucking nose," you hissed. "Just get back to your own cubicle, Semi. You're making my blood pressure rise." 

He hummed, looking irritatingly pleased with himself, as always. "See you at six." 

When the area was finally cleared of his negative energy, you found yourself being able to breathe a little easier. You placed your elbows on top of the desk, massaging your temples before a migraine brewed inside your head. 

"Devil's incarnate," you muttered. "Semi Eita is Satan's favorite child." 

You could have never been any more right about that. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :( this chap was way shorter than the rest. i'm not in the best mood 'cause one of my oneshots was reposted onto wattpad without my permission and i'm really stressed out lmao.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To your surprise, your colleague managed a lopsided smile that made you feel...funny.
> 
> "You're not too bad a singer," he admitted in-between chuckles. "For an old hag." 
> 
> Just like that, Semi smashed the moment into smithereens, and you could feel that single speck of endearment for him evaporate into thin air.

"You made it!"

Emerging from the doorway of one of the flimsiest apartments you've ever seen is Kino, the drummer for Memento Mori (A.K.A., his and Semi's band, and you really didn't know why you never bothered learning their name earlier). His rose brown tresses stuck in every direction, and the sleepy droop in his blue eyes was enough to let you know that he'd probably just rolled out of bed. Grinning drowsily, he nudged the door wider with his foot. 

Semi greeted him back with equal vigor, doing some otherworldly handshake before subtly nodding in your direction. "This is (Surname), by the way. Co-worker. She's helping me out with the songwriting." 

Kino hummed in understanding, clumsily putting on round glasses on the bridge of his nose. "You two are just in time, actually. Kiyoshi just got back from the store. He got us some take-out."

"Isn't it your turn to buy dinner, though?" Semi asked, a teasing smile playing at his lips. 

With feigned offense, Kino gasped at him, one hand going to his chest in a dramatic gesture. "Excuse me, but it was I who paid our rent for this month. Payday won't come around 'til next week, so Kiyoshi's covering me for the meantime." 

Your co-worker merely sneered. "Sure he is, man." 

The way he acted so familiarly and without animosity towards Kino was something you found quite odd. Sure, these past few days you've (not-so-willingly) spent alongside Semi might have altered the way you initially thought of the guy, but seeing him being all buddy-buddy towards his bandmate still took you aback. You haven't been around him long enough in college to see him as someone other than the pompous dean's lister that you were constantly at an unspoken competition with. 

But before you could put in another contemplative thought into it, another person peeked through the entrance, silvery eyes gazing at you and Semi in wonder. The lower half of his face was obscured with a white face mask, but you could still see the sprawl of freckles that dusted his cheekbones. 

"Kiyoshi!" Semi gushed, arms enveloping the newcomer in a flash. He reluctantly returned the gesture with a hug of his own. 

"You're late," Kiyoshi, who Semi told you was their bassist, sighed before carding his fingers through his reddish hair. "You _do_ know our deadline's coming fast, right?"

"Of course. That's why we're here, aren't we?" Your ash-blond partner then took it as his cue to remove his shoes, and you mimicked his actions without delay. Then, Kino finally let the two of you inside their apartment. 

It's one of those two-bedroom units with a designated space for a lounging area, a kitchenette, and a small dining set. The property itself wasn't too shabby, but the wallpaper was already peeling off, and you could see some strange stains on the ceiling. But hey, it's not like this was _your_ living space, so you kept your opinions to yourself.

"Well, come on," said Kino, as he plopped himself onto the couch. "Let's hear it." 

A few seconds passed in awkward silence, as neither you and Semi didn't say anything in response. Kino reinforced his curiosity with an expectant hum, which seemed to snap Semi out of his momentary trance.

"Yeah, there are no lyrics yet," he explained, one hand scratching the back of his neck. "When we tried coming up with material together, nothing just clicked. (Surname) and I agreed to write separately and we haven't—"

"I got a few stanzas." 

Semi whipped his head back at you incredulously, brows knitted together like he wasn't even pleased with your progress. But he managed to revert his expression into something more cordial before settling himself on the couch right next to Kino.

"Let's hear it, then," your co-worker requested, a condescending smile gracing his lips.

Kiyoshi hummed in agreement as he joined his bandmates on the couch, giving each of them those disposable 7-11 meals that smelled of poorly cooked katsu. He placed a fourth package on the table, one that's presumably for you. Kino spared his housemate a quick thanks before his blue-eyed gaze momentarily caught yours. 

"Eita told us you were a good singer," he told you, eyes crinkling with a smile. "I'm assuming you've already got a tune for it, hm?"

Semi rolled his eyes. "I said she was a _decent_ singer, Kino. Quit twisting my words so you can pick up girls."

Kino raised his hands in defense, chuckling. "I had no such plan."

Feeling heat creep up your neck, you chose to ignore their pointless banter as you brought out your phone. You'd come up with the lyrics at random during a few dead hours in the office when Semi wasn't out to annoy you at your cubicle. All it took was a few replays of the instrumental that he e-mailed to you, and viola! The lyrics you've composed so far fit the rhythm neatly.

You cleared your throat as you went over the first few verses. You've already managed to write up until the third verse, but you planned on just letting them hear the first two verses and the chorus. The possibility of them not liking what you made was still there, and you didn't really want to get ahead of yourself.

You breathed in deeply. This wasn't any different from performing live, and though it's been years since you've last sung in front of other people, Saito included, you strangely didn't feel antsy at all.

"Confident." Kino whistled. "Not a single nervous bone in her body. I think I'm in love with her, Eita!" 

"Kino, could you please save your playboy tactics until after the performance?" Kiyoshi sighed as he pulled down his face mask, shoveling a spoonful of convenience store katsu in his mouth. Semi merely scoffed at Kino's flattery before affixing you with an intent stare.

Tuning out the men before you, you sang your heart out. 

_I want to live forever_   
_Inside the nights and days._   
_Wishing on a silver cloud,_   
_Crawling across the moonbeams._

You took a shuddering breath in between, eyes flicking from the lyrics hastily typed on your Notes app to your small audience. But you didn't bother letting your gaze linger too long so you could let them hear the rest.

  
_A summer night in heaven_   
_Between the stars and waves._   
_Race across the old bonfire;_   
_Trample on my heartbeat._

_I wanted to turn you on_   
_My favorite song._   
_Wanted to be near you_   
_But somebody owns you now._

When you let loose the last tone from your lips, you noticed that your heart was already hammering in your chest. You had to suck in a deep breath to prevent your hands from shaking. Huh. So much for feeling confident. 

Looking up at the three, you half-expected them to harbor so-so stares and underwhelmed expressions. Instead, however, you were met with the sight of Kino grinning warmly at you like a proud dad, Kiyoshi losing his mask of indifference for a solid moment, and Semi...

Semi's lips were parted slightly, like he couldn't believe what he'd just heard. The look in his eyes suggested that he was far-off in his head, but when you snapped your fingers in front of his face, he didn't flinch. To your surprise, your colleague managed a lopsided smile that made you feel...funny.

"You're not too bad a singer," he admitted in-between chuckles. "For an old hag." 

Just like that, Semi smashed the moment into smithereens, and you could feel that single speck of endearment for him evaporate into thin air. You should really stop expecting anything but offhanded comments from this guy. _Seriously_. 

"I know my opinion as a member of a rock band doesn't amount to anything, but I know a good love song when I hear one," Kino told you, nodding his head gingerly. 

Kiyoshi grunted in agreement. "Eita, if you make her change that, I will personally kick your ass." 

"I had no such plan," Semi responded mockingly, making room on the couch to make room. "C'mon. Eat."

"You're being unusually kind," you teased, reaching for your own katsu on the table before squeezing yourself in between him and Kiyoshi. 

He shrugged, taking his first bite. "For all you know I spiked your food when you weren't looking."

"Dickhead."

"Dumbass." 

"Satan's spawn."

"Scum of the Earth." 

Kino's laughter cut your exchange short, the sound having the two of you craning your heads at him. The drummer sighed, finishing the rest of his food before saying:

"Eita, I just want you to know that I would _never_ pick up someone that you've already got an eye for." 

Kiyoshi snorted out loud, and that was all it took to effectively shut you and Semi up. 

"Now, come on! No need to look so stunned," Kino laughed. "It's just a joke." 

Your nerves were so rattled that you couldn't bear to look at Semi—not when you felt him go rigid at Kino's earlier comment.

Not when you could feel your face being set alight with embarrassment, too.

"Yeah," Semi grumbled beside you. "A joke." 

You hoped that was true. You really did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heads up! If you recognized the song I used for this chapter, it's by one of the bands in my country entitled 241, and you can listen to it [here](https://open.spotify.com/track/1qeqGIFBg8GTb6etWGskIM?si=efqoLlYuT7-pBpRSGfU3UA). I originally wrote an actual song for this fic, but the file I typed it in on got corrupted :( So, here we are. 
> 
> Also, here are some picrews for [kino](https://cdn.picrew.me/app/share/202003/30042_zf0Fs8KB.png) and [kiyoshi](https://cdn.picrew.me/app/share/202003/30042_2WZvl0wI.png)! I also made a new one for [saito](https://cdn.picrew.me/app/share/202002/30042_RDaHDQkr.png), but he still looks like a little bitch. LMAO jus kidding.
> 
> Also, terribly sorry for scamming you guys into thinking this will finish early. I had two major exams AND celebrated my birthday last week, so I couldn't really squeeze some time to write oopsie.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was like your senses kickstarted into motion as you rapidly darted your gaze around the vicinity, panicked confusion coursing through your veins. You were inside an unfamiliar room, lying on top of an unfamiliar bed, laying next to...

The life of a college student revolved around crammed assignments, naps in-between breaks, and coffee. So. Much. Coffee. 

And it's for that reason that you're running on (barely) an hour of sleep, furiously typing away a critique paper on your laptop—one that you'd forgotten to get done over exam season. The constant, mechanical ticks coming from the clock in the common room rang in your ears with each second, and you could feel your heart rate double at the 8:00 A.M deadline that loomed over your head.

You risked a momentary glance at the said clock, and _shit_. You've got roughly about twenty minutes left with one more page to go—

"You could use a hand." 

The sound of his voice was enough to interrupt your panicked concentration. Tearing your eyes off the screen of your laptop, you flashed Saito a tired smile, not having it in you to snap at him even with your current state of sleep deprivation.

"Last I checked, Music majors didn't have to waste away, reading a five-hundred page accounting reference to make a shitty paper about it after," you told him dryly. 

Saito laughed airily, stepping over the bench you've occupied for yourself before settling beside you. He placed his guitar on the table, mindlessly picking at the strings as he hummed in understanding. Brown eyes studied you with subtle interest as his lips quirked into something that wasn't quite a smile, but set your heart aflutter, still.

"My academic writing is garbage, but I _could_ sing you a song to get you going," he offers, grabbing the guitar to position it on his lap. Saito wiggled his eyebrows in a way that prompted you to ask, _when did I even start liking this guy?_

You met the man with tousled hair and perpetually sleepy eyes when you'd moved in at the beginning of your third semester in university. This dormitory in particular housed both male and female tenants, and the management wasn't very strict with the floor segregation. So, as the universe had seemingly fated it, your room happened to be right across from Saito's on the first floor. 

Of course, you've been neighbors with a couple of guys when you boarded in the past. It wasn't unusual to be around them, but something about Saito just magnetized you to him like an unseeable force. Every time you got struck by some strange need for midnight snack run, he'd be in the kitchen, buttering up some dinner rolls with an apple slice in his mouth. At campus, you almost always kept running into him in hallways even though you two had very different degree programs. And you couldn't even get yourself started with how often you caught him sitting by the window seats every time you dropped by the nearest Starbuck's.

The more delusional side of you would like to think that this was the gods' way of telling you he's the one. But you were never one to indulge yourself in half-assed daydreams like that anyway. 

"Thanks, but I might get distracted," you told him with an apologetic smile, forcing yourself to pull your focus on the flurry of text glaring at you from your screen rather than the disappointed pout that Saito sent your way. Your resolve falters for half a moment until your eyes flicker towards the clock on your laptop and— _shit_ , you just wasted five minutes. Channeling your innate talent for bullshitting your essays, you began typing away on your keyboard like you were possessed by the spirit of motivation itself. 

"Alright, then," Saito sighed, getting up from the bench as he tucked his guitar underneath his arm. "I heard you, you know." 

"What?" you asked, but your mind wasn't really in it. 

"I heard you singing in your room the other night." This time, when his mouth twitched upward, you knew it was a bona fide grin. "You have a lovely voice, (Name). I hope you could work on songs with me sometime." 

You purposely tuned out his voice for a moment, so you didn't really catch what Saito said just now. In lieu of a thought-out response, you merely nodded at whatever he was trying to tell you. "Yeah, sure." 

"Nice! See you 'round, then~" 

Only when Saito had already gone back to his room, and when you had barely thirty seconds until the deadline to spare before you managed to turn your assignment in did you realize what he had been going on about earlier.

You stared in nonplus at the blinking cursor on your screen, like it was mocking you for the way heat crept underneath your skin to paint your face a reddish hue. 

"He heard me singing," you muttered incredulously. "The cute Music major heard me _singing."_

You were yet to know it yet, but that was only just the beginning.

* * *

"Rise and shine, lovebirds!"

The first thing you were able to make sense of once you cracked your eyes open was the sight of Kino looming above you with a mischievous smile plastered on his face. You frowned, still feeling the grogginess of post-slumber. To top it off, you felt the familiar weight of a hangover-induced migraine brewing somewhere between your temples. Your memories of previous evening were a little muddled but you could still somehow grasp at vague recollections as you willed yourself into full consciousness.

You couldn't get back home because of a storm that hit the city late into the night. Kino and Kiyoshi brought out a couple of bottles of vodka. One daring drinking game led from one thing to another and—

The second thing you noticed was the heavy arm draped across your body. Your body that was _completely bare_ underneath the thin, cotton blanket that shielded it from Kino's viewing pleasure. 

It was like your senses kickstarted into motion as you rapidly darted your gaze around the vicinity, panicked confusion coursing through your veins. You were inside an unfamiliar room, lying on top of an unfamiliar bed, laying next to...

"Semi?!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I completely forgot that the draft for this chapter was sitting in my wip folder because I got carried away making gift fics for some friends OOPSIE.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I say no other repercussions—just our equally stubborn pride on the line."
> 
> "I wouldn't have it any other way," he murmured as he tipped his head back to finish his shot—marking the start of one of the longest nights in your life. 

**[APPROXIMATELY 7 HOURS UNTIL DAWN]**

"Hey."

Your ears perked up at the familiar voice of your brazen co-worker, himself. Sighing, you cast Semi a sideways glance, wondering why he'd decided to invade the temporary space you've claimed for yourself. The rain had come down on the city of Sendai about an hour ago, and from the heavy drops beating against the canopy above you, it didn't seem to have plans to let up anytime soon. You stared at the scarce view from the balcony, an endless stretch of darkness with little specks of light dotting the horizon here and there. Semi took a seat beside you on the little wooden bench Kino and Kiyoshi had placed outside as he eyed the empty wineglass in your hand, lifting the bottle he had on his person as a silent inquiry. 

Exhaling through your nose, you managed a sly smile before tilting the glass in his direction. Semi chuckled airily, uncorking the bottle with an audible pop before plucking it from your hands. The sound of wine pouring into the glass was obscured by the rain, but you'd managed to get a whiff of the strong, fermented scent either way. 

"They can't afford to eat things other than convenience store take-out, but they have wine in their damn cabinets?" you joked, bringing the rim to your lips as you let your drink gush down your throat. 

"You'd be surprised with how diverse their alcohol stash is," Semi imparted, settling the bottle on the dusty floor with a sigh. 

The cold air was already beginning to seep into the flimsy jacket you'd brought with you, prompting you to tug the lapels closer to your chest. In your peripheral, you could see Semi casting you a wary glance that he immediately retracted the moment you turned your head to face him. Deciding that it was probably just your mind playing tricks on you, you drained the rest of your wine in one fell swoop, the bitter sting on your tastebuds bringing forth a couple of tears in your eyes.

"That's not something you down like a shot, you know," he sighed, one foot tapping against the floor. "I thought old hags knew how to take it easy."

Feeling a little childish, you stuck your tongue out at him. "Even old hags know how to mix things up a bit."

Semi glanced at you with an amused smile, shaking his head as he took the wineglass from your grasp and picking up the bottle from the floor. "You know, I never really pictured the girl I had to compete with for the top spot on the dean's list drinking alcohol. You were such a shut-in back then, I barely even saw you."

"Yet you hated my guts?" you asked teasingly as he poured himself a drink. 

When he set down the bottle back on the ground, he swirled his drink in his hands for a few moments—leaving you transfixed with the way the orange light from the flimsy fluorescent bulb overhead glinted across the crimson liquid. Then, Semi's mouth twitched into something that wasn't quite a smile.

"I'm not telling," he said, and you couldn't help but watch the way his throat bobbed when he'd taken a few gulps. You'd berate him for doing the exact same thing he made fun of you for, but it was as if your voice died in your chest.

The sight of his hair rustling in the breeze as he tipped his head back to drink it all up stunned you into silence. It didn't help that the angle at which you were gawking at him made his piercings awfully more appealing than they were if you stared at him face-to-face... _Wait a minute_. Since when had seeing someone swallow a drink been remotely attractive to you? 

When Semi detached his lips from the glass, he let out a pained groan as he tilted his head back at you to brandish you an uneasy stare. "I can't believe you just made me do that."

"You did that all on your own, asshole," you scoffed, shying away from his gaze as you hoped the bad lighting was enough to mask the redness on your face. "Weren't you sound-checking with your bandmates or something?"

He shrugged, twiddling with the wineglass in a way that scared you a little. The idiot might drop it if he wasn't careful, jeez. "Kino was too lazy to set up, and I'm pretty beat, too. We've got a few stanzas down, so it's not like we're completely unproductive, right?"

" _We_?" you echoed, rolling your eyes. "I did most of the work, if I recall correctly."

"Well I, for one, know that I somehow inspired you to write those lyrics one way or another," he simpered. "I dunno how, but I _know_ I did."

You slanted your gaze at him, more for a show of aggression than anything else because Semi...wasn't wrong. The lyrics just seemingly flowed out of your head the day you first started treating him for lunch—the same day Saito and Akane walked into the same convenience store you and Semi had taken refuge in. If your stupid co-worker had insisted on going somewhere more high-end or if he'd dragged you to the same store at an earlier time, maybe you wouldn't have had your heart broken at the sight of the man you love hand-in-hand with his girlfriend. Maybe you wouldn't have been struck with a grief-induced creativity stream that gave birth to the song you'd reluctantly performed in front of Semi not two hours ago. 

But he didn't have to know all that. 

The sound of the glass doors sliding open snapped you out of your trance, and when you glanced back, Kino's cheery face greeted you with a smile.

"Yo," he chirped. "You wanna play some drinking games with me and Kiyoshi? It's not fun if it's just us two."

"Sure, man, we'll be there in a minute," Semi answered before you could even take another breath. Kino nodded in understanding before closing the door behind him, leaving you as dumbstruck as ever.

Glancing warily at Semi, you asked, "Aren't we going to go home?"

"In _this_ weather?" your colleague wondered incredulously, shaking his head. "No chance in hell. They've got comfy couches to sleep on anyway."

"You _do_ know that a young woman sleeping over with three men won't make for a good reputation around the office, right?" you told him dryly. 

Semi snorted aloud, rising back to his full height before picking up the bottle from the floor. Tucking it in his arm, he tugged on your wrist with more force than you'd anticipated, bringing you back to your feet with a yelp. The sudden jostle forced you flush against his chest, and when you looked up at him, he had a sleazy grin plastered on his face.

"You just have to make this our little secret, then."

* * *

**[APPROXIMATELY 6 HOURS UNTIL DAWN]**

"Alright, fools," Kino chuckled, filling four shot glasses to the brim with vodka. "Never have I ever forgotten the name of a person I slept with after a one night stand."

Kiyoshi groaned from where he sat on the floor, face almost as red as his hair as he reached down to grab a shot. "Your jabs are awfully specific, you dick."

"I don't know what you're talking about, my friend," the drummer hollered as the three remaining shots were left untouched. "I see we've got a couple of honest lovers in our midst."

"It's common decency to remember their names, at least, dude," Semi replied, rolling his eyes. "I dunno about the hag though. Probably hasn't slept with anyone all her life."

You sputtered with your words for a moment, unable to form a coherent rebuttal that wouldn't make you sound like an in-denial virgin. "That is none of your business, you jackass." Refusing to let Semi get another word out, you turned to Kiyoshi say, "Your turn."

Groggily, he muttered something about getting back at Kino as he refilled his shot. "Never have I ever...been an accomplice to infidelity."

Kino let out a defeated sigh as he sulkily plucked a shot glass from the table to finish it in a single gulp. He proceeded to say some offhand comment about how childish Kiyoshi was being, but their little banter morphed into white noise at the back of your head.

It was established as a rule that you had to be honest, regardless of whatever it was that any of you could have thought of for this Never Have I Ever game. But it wasn't compulsory—you could always just keep your silence if you wanted. However, there was something about the buzz in your head and the alcohol-turned-liquid courage in your system made you a little less hesitant. It wasn't as if you were alone, right? Kino owned up to his actions, so why shouldn't you?

So, while Semi was trying to break up his two bandmates from an argument, you reached out to grab your own shot, feeling the drink licking a stripe of fire down your throat before slamming it back on the table. The sound startled the three of them out of their momentary distraction, and the next thing you knew, three pairs of eyes were gazing at you, stupefied. 

"What?" you asked, unsure if the heat crawling up your neck was from the alcohol or something else entirely. 

But out of all their stares, Semi's was the one that beheld the most weight in his eyes. His brows were knitted together, and for a moment, you felt dread pooling in your gut at the thought that he might have pieced two and two together right there. 

Frowning he began, "Who—"

"Ah-ah!" Kino tutted, lightly flicking Semi's forehead to hinder him. "Asking for specifics isn't allowed, Eita. (Surname)-chan, it's your turn~" 

You thanked whatever gods existed at that moment for Kino's foresight. When you were done refilling yours and Kino's glasses, you pondered for a moment. "Uhm. Never have I ever found someone attractive when I shouldn't?"

When the words left your mouth, you expected to think of Saito first of all. You'd been fooling around with him behind his girlfriend's back all this time—if that didn't count as illicit attraction, you didn't know what would. But instead of the warm, hazel eyes you'd been admiring since your college years, the person that flashed in your mind was someone else entirely. 

Someone with the shittiest personality you knew of. Someone with piercings that normally wouldn't have been allowed in your workplace. Someone with the most mesmerizing gray-brown eyes you'd ever seen. 

"Hm?" Kiyoshi perked up curiously, but he seemed already too far gone to contest. Semi mumbled something under his breath that Kino merely laughed at. 

"That makes all of us, then?" the drummer sighed, raising his shot glass in the air. "Cheers!"

"Too fucking high, Kino," complained Kiyoshi as he barely even lifted his arm before drinking. 

"It's weird to say something you know that you've done, yourself, (Surname)," Semi chuckled, and you found it a bit irritating that he seemed to handle his liquor awfully well. 

Rolling your eyes, you decided then and there not to lose to _him_ , of all people—a competitive flare scorching your veins in a way you hadn't felt since college. The burn of the vodka wasn't as ferocious now, and you weren't sure if it was from your newfound resolve or just your body getting used to it. 

Before you could even declare war on your long-time rival, however, the sound of glasses rattling on the table tore your gaze from Semi to Kiyoshi's slumped form on top of the coffee table. 

"Oh, dear," Kino chuckled, rising from the couch before leaning down to hook Kiyoshi's arm around his shoulders. "Kiyoshi's a lightweight, you see. He passes out whenever the hell he wants without thinking about how hard it is for those around him."

You stifled a soft laugh, casting him a pitiful gaze. "You're a good friend, aren't you, Kino-san?"

"Please, drop the formalities. I don't play drinking games with just _anyone_ after all," he insisted, hoisting himself up with Kiyoshi's dead weight in tow. After dropping one eye into a wink, he turned to Semi with the same, cheerful disposition. "Eita, you and (Surname)-chan can go sleep in Kiyoshi's room. Don't forget to turn off the lights once you're done drinking, 'kay?~"

Semi scowled at him, face contorting with confusion as Kino hauled the unconscious bassist to his room. "Hey, wha—"

"Good night, lovebirds!" were Kino's final words before he ultimately shut the door behind him with the sound ringing your ears. 

Now, you were all alone—with Semi Eita, himself.

But instead of voicing out complaint after complaint like you'd expected him to, Semi merely huffed out a tired laugh, reaching for the half-empty bottle of amber vodka as he poured all four shot glasses to the rim. 

"You're pretty strong, aren't you?" he relented, sliding two shot glasses your way without spilling them. "I don't know a lot of people who can down shot after shot without any chasers. Who knew old hags had hidden talents?"

"It's not a talent," you bit back, taking both shots in each hand. You screwed your eyes shut as you cringed against the bitter taste of the first shot, not allowing yourself a break before downing the other. As you let out an excruciating breath that might have turned into a loud burp, you glared back at Semi. "Just say you didn't expect this old hag to one-up you and go."

Something like vague amusement sparked in his brown eyes and you had absolutely _no idea_ why the self-satisfied smirk that curled on his lips sent shivers across your spine. He mimicked your previous actions with much more grace than you could hope to muster while intoxicated, grinning sharply as he refilled the shot glasses.

Semi grabbed two and gave the other one to you. Your colleague then raised his in the air in a similar fashion as Kino had done earlier. "First one who passes out treats the loser out to lunch for a whole month?"

"I'm _already_ doing that, you fucker," you replied, bumping your glass with his as you finished it in a single, excruciating gulp. "I say no other repercussions—just our equally stubborn pride on the line."

You weren't sure if it was just your inebriated vision making you see things, but you could have sworn his tightly wrung smile softened into something more...sincere. But Semi and sincere being put in the same sentence was something more unlikely than winning the lottery, so you decided to let it pass.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," he murmured as he tipped his head back to finish his shot—marking the start of one of the longest nights in your life. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wowee this was way longer than my usual chapter quota for this story, so i had to cut the flashback off right here 😅 anyway, place your bets: did the reader sleep with semi or not? vote now on your phones! also, disclaimer: please don't down consecutive shots like what reader and semi did in this chapter. that's actually grounds for alcohol poisioning if you're not careful. remember to drink responsibly, lads. 
> 
> lastly, you can hit me up on [tumblr](http://hirugamis.tumblr.com) or pitch in some spare change on [ko-fi](http://ko-fi.com/kaientai)!~


End file.
